Your Life Begins When God Says So

I went to a recording studio yesterday to watch my friend's vocal recording session at 7 pm. It's been a decade since I've been involved in a music project. Personally, I felt the excitement and at the same time it made me realizes that in the future I might sleep late often like in the old days. Bacause so far I have always tried to have enough sleep everyday to keep myself healthy physically and mentally. Meanwhile, the music industry players in Indonesia that I know are used to staying up late.

After the recording session, we chatted and planned how we would launch my friend's the third record album. It was a very interesting and enjoyable discussion, and I've always want to participate in this kind of discussion since I've never involved in a project like this one. One thing that cross my mind during the chat session, I also realized that I was just about to start a new journey, and even maybe a new career, in middle age. I'm stoked and anxious simultaneously.

Hence the million-dollar question is: Is it okay to start something new at a late age? This question is also often echoes in the minds of many as they approach or cross the threshold of middle age. Society, with its unspoken rules and timelines, might whisper that it's too late to begin anew. But let's challenge that notion by exploring the lives of those who found their true calling or achieved significant success well into their middle age or beyond.

Consider the example of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). At the age of 40, he received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel, marking the beginning of his prophetic mission. This pivotal moment not only transformed his life but also altered the course of history. Here was a man, well into what many might consider middle age, embarking on a journey that would define him and inspire millions for centuries.

Then there's Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). It wasn't until he was 65 years old, after a life filled with various jobs including lawyer, steamboat ferry operator, and gas station operator, that he franchised his chicken recipe. His venture into fast food at an age when many consider retirement is a testament to the fact that age is but a number when it comes to starting something significant.

Or take the case of Laura Ingalls Wilder, who didn't publish her first book, "Little House in the Big Woods," until she was 65. Her series of books, based on her childhood in a pioneer family, became beloved classics, illustrating that one's life story can find its voice at any age.

These examples are not anomalies but beacons of hope and inspiration. They remind us that life's script isn't written in stone by societal norms or age brackets. Life, in its essence, doesn't adhere to a singular universal standard. Just as there is no one-size-fits-all approach to living, there's no universal timeline for when one's 'real' life should begin.

The idea of a singular moral or temporal standard for human achievement or fulfillment is as outdated as it is irrelevant. It's akin to believing in a unilateral power that claims to dictate the moral compass for global living, which history and human diversity have repeatedly disproven.

Your life begins when God says so, not when society, or even your own doubts, dictate. This divine timing might not align with what's considered 'normal' or 'expected', but that's the beauty of it. It's personalized, unique, and perfectly timed for you.

So, to those standing at the crossroads of middle age, contemplating whether it's too late to start over or pursue a new dream, remember: every life has its moment of inception, its renaissance, its time to shine. Embrace the journey, for it's yours alone. Enjoy the ride, for it's divinely orchestrated. Your life's true beginning might just be around the corner, waiting for the moment when God says, "Now."

Notes: All images are AI-generated.